Toxic Substances Compliance Monitoring Cooperative Agreements

The objectives of this program are to: 1) assist grantees, including States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, America Samoa, the Northern Marianas, the Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Indian Tribes, in developing and maintaining compliance monitoring programs to prevent or eliminate unreasonable risks to health or the environment associated with chemical substances or mixtures in their communities, specifically Lead-based paint, Asbestos, and Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); 2) encourage regulatory activities within the grantees communities to establish their own programs for Lead-based paint and Asbestos (waiver programs); and 3) provide funds to support enforcement activities for Asbestos waiver state programs and Lead-based paint programs. EPA may provide funding for cooperative compliance monitoring grants to grantees under TSCA to conduct inspections to ensure compliance with the PCB regulations, the Asbestos-in-Schools requirements (inspections at charter schools, public schools, private, non-profit schools and religious schools), the Model Accreditation Plan (MAP), TSCA section 6 Ban and Phase Out Rule, and the TSCA Asbestos Worker Protection Standards and to conduct Lead-based paint activities. Authorized grantees also conduct enforcement responses for the Lead-based program. Grantees that have obtained an EPA waiver from the Asbestos regulation (Subpart E of Part 763) also have enforcement responsibilities.
In FY 2026, the TSCA PCB and Asbestos programs will: 1) ensure existing compliance monitoring programs continue to meet established standards; 2) promote activities that lead to waiver status for Asbestos programs; 3) ensure states meet EPA inspector training requirements necessary to obtain and keep EPA credentials in those programs which require the use of EPA credentials (the PCB compliance monitoring programs and Asbestos programs in non-waiver states); 4) provide inspection activity where there is an identified need including, but not limited to, Children's Health areas.

In FY 2026, states with authorized Lead-based paint programs will focus on individuals and firms which conduct lead abatement and renovation and their continuance with the training and certification, and work practice standards requirements. States with authorized renovation notice rules will also monitor those requirements.

For the Lead-based paint program, state agencies, Indian tribes, and tribal consortiums that have toxic substance compliance responsibilities, who have the authority to enter into these cooperative agreements, and who have their own Lead laws in place are eligible to apply for assistance. For the PCB and Asbestos programs, grantees should have toxic substance compliance responsibilities and be designated as the lead agency with the authority to enter into these cooperative agreements.

Issuing office will provide location of application procedure details as appropriate. Discussions or informal meetings with Regional program offices concerning program preparation are advisable.

Each application shall be subjected to administrative coordination to determine adequacy in relation to grant regulations, and to technical and program evaluation to determine merit and relevancy of the project. States will be notified of Federal Assistance awards through the Federal Assistance Awards Data System (FAADS).

Applications are due 60 days prior to the beginning of the next budget period.